In order to make optical connections, it is known to make use of optical contacts that include ferrules receiving the ends of ribbons carrying optical fibers. By way of example, these may be mechanical transfer MT ferrules. In known optical contacts, the face via which a ferrule comes into contact with the ferrule of a contact of complementary type is not protected against impacts or against scratching that can occur while the optical contact is being handled, in particular while it is being inserted into a multicontact connector.
Furthermore, when such contacts are used in rack connectors or backplane connectors, making connections therebetween can lead to lateral and/or angular offsets. Male type MT ferrules may include pins for recentering two contacts of complementary type that are to be connected together. Nevertheless, such pins present chamfers that are small and unsuitable for compensating large offsets between two contacts that are to be connected together. That is why it is known, e.g. from U.S. Pat. No. 6,116,788, to have recourse to a repositioning system for placing between two contacts to be connected together.
Furthermore, a known optical contact is generally mounted by arranging the various elements of the optical contact one after another along an axis. If, during assembly of the contact, one of its elements is forgotten, or if an element is poorly mounted, or if a contact element is damaged, e.g. during insertion of the contact into a connector or into a polymerization oven, it can be found necessary to disassemble the optical contact assembly.
There exists a need to remedy the above-mentioned drawbacks in full or in part.